Articles in category: Tourism

MGM Springfield is partnering with Boston producer John Tobin Presents, to transform the former state Armory into the Roar! Comedy Club. Located at the heart of MGM Springfield, Roar! Comedy Club will feature an eclectic mix of nationally-known comedy stars and rising comics. The club will celebrate its grand opening Jan. 3-5. ROAR! will have weekend shows starting every Thursday in January. Acts booked for the coming months include Chris Distefano, Robert Kelly, Phil Hanley, Dan Soder, Rachel Feinstein and Alonzo Bodden.

Weeks after putting out a fall events calendar that didn't stretch past the end of its current contract, Springfield Performing Arts Development Corp. said Monday that it'll no longer manage CityStage and Symphony Hall. Contracts to operate both venues expire Dec. 31. The city contracts for management of Symphony Hall, and the Springfield Parking Authority contracts for management of CityStage, which is built into the Columbus Center complex on Bridge Street.

On the heels of a successful grand opening celebration and sold out Stevie Wonder concert, MGM Springfield announced Friday that it will bring legendary songstress Cher to the MassMutual Center in 2019. 'We are excited to welcome Cher to the Springfield neighborhood as she brings her unforgettable flair and talent to Massachusetts,' said Talia Spera, executive director of entertainment for MGM Springfield. 'MGM Resorts has had a successful partnership with Cher and her team and we look forward to giving Springfield fans the opportunity to see this legendary entertainer.'

Promising a $650 million investment and 2,000 jobs, the developers behind the proposed 450-room Palmer Water Park Resort & Spa are going public with more details about their project, its designers and the next steps they'll need to take. The park would be built at the site once proposed for a Mohegan Sun casino. The 152-acre property is just off Exit 8 on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

As its town manager, Christopher Ketchen is certainly bullish on Lenox. “If you’re moving to the Berkshires, Lenox has clearly got to be on your radar for many reasons,” he told BusinessWest, adding that he’s one of the more recent converts. “I made the move here myself from the Boston area four years ago. I’m originally from Alford, and when I moved back to this area, I chose to live in Lenox.”

An MGM Springfield spokesman said Friday that more than 10,000 people entered the casino campus in the first hours after its grand opening, but a full day total was not available. By late afternoon, there was a "steady stream of people coming and going," said Saverio Mancini, a spokesman for MGM Springfield. "It was a tremendous success the amount of people we had on opening day," Mancini said. "Our marketing campaign, our communications -- it worked."

When the 11:47 a.m. Hartford Line train pulled into Springfield's Union Station, most of the 75 or so passengers getting off had one question: "How do I get to the casino?" And even though The Loop downtown bus service wouldn't start for another hour - after the traffic on Main Street cleared - the arriving passengers made bee lines for the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority waiting area downstairs or out onto Lyman Street for the walk to MGM Springfield.

The Loop debuted Friday afternoon, and while the free bus service connects several downtown attractions, its inaugural run was all about the grand opening of the MGM Springfield resort casino. Shirley Grahan, of Northampton, waited for that first run of The Loop at Union Station, about a mile away from MGM Springfield. She and the two dozen other riders only had one destination in mind - the casino.

Glitzy slot machines, expectations and the chatter of thousands of suited and gowned guests filled the gaming floor Thursday as the "MGM Springfield VIP preview party" got underway. Local officials like Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, the face of the seven-year pitch behind the project, and representatives of international giant MGM attended the celebration before the Friday opening of a $960 million casino resort. The development of 2 million square feet in the South End of the City of Homes is scheduled to open at 11 a.m. Friday.

Actor-restaurateur and Dorchester native Mark Wahlberg was in Springfield back in June to scope out the then-under construction MGM Springfield site. He returned Thursday to announce that he and his family will open a Wahlburgers restaurant on the MGM campus in late 2019. The man who rose to fame with his Funky Bunch hip-hop group and continues with films like "Ted" and "Lone Survivor" promises we'll be seeing a lot more of him and his famous family.

After observing a series of soft-opening test nights at MGM Springfield this week and conducting a last-minute review, Massachusetts Gaming Commissioner Bruce Stebbins gave permission Wednesday for the casino to open. Stebbins, a former Springfield resident and city councilor, was the Gaming Commission's delegated authority in Springfield this week. The document he signed Wednesday afternoon is a temporary certificate of operations. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is expected to issue a permanent certificate at its meeting Sept. 13.

Amtrak and the folks who run the CTrail branded trains on the Hartford Line are ready to expand service into Springfield for MGM Springfield's opening weekend if they notice a surge in ridership reminiscent of CTrail's own grand opening in June. It's hard to tell ahead of time how many people will take the trains along the New Haven-to-Springfield line, said Rich Andreski, bureau chief for public transportation at the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Passengers on the line buy their tickets from vending machines moments before boarding.

The MGM Springfield casino is not the only exciting venture occurring in the city. It's important for residents and city officials to keep that in mind. Nonetheless, the long-awaited opening of the casino and entertainment center marks August 24, 2018 as a day worth remembering for a city that's been dealing with adversity for decades and has finally swung the tide toward victory. This moment was no accident. Springfield was not "destined" for downtown renewal. It took hard work from the public and private sectors alike, and a determination not to let the inevitable chorus of naysayers and ...

When visitors to the new MGM Springfield casino soon enter its hotel lobby, they will be greeted by a large, state-of-the-art sculpture that wraps around the interior of the building's entrance. The piece, the work of New York artist Mia Pearlman, is an homage to the perseverance, resilience and triumph of the region in the aftermath of the tornado that tore through the city in 2011. Pearlman named her sculpture "The Flying Tidings Whirled," after a line from an Emily Dickinson poem about a summer storm.

Although MGM Springfield is not set to open its doors to the public until next week, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said Wednesday that she can already feel the "momentum" and excitement that the $960 million casino project has brought to the city. Polito, who joined local officials in announcing public safety plans ahead of MGM Springfield's opening, praised the city's efforts to promote economic development and grow housing options in connection with the casino project.

As part of its 75th-anniversary season, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is scheduling a series of free chamber-music concerts throughout the Pioneer Valley. The first, slated for Thursday, Aug. 30 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., will debut a percussion trio at the historic Springfield Armory. Guests are invited to arrive early to enjoy canapes and a cash bar before the concert begins promptly at 6:15 p.m.“We are very excited about this special chamber-music event,” said Susan Beaudry, executive director of the SSO. “Bringing more concerts to important community spaces throughout Springfield is just one of ...

Opening Day Information

Kicking off the festivities at 10:30 a.m. at the corner of State and Main Streets, Downtown Springfield will be treated to a lively procession featuring the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales and other surprise entertainment alongside hundreds of the resort’s employees, construction workers and local dignitaries. Guests are invited to view the procession as it heads down Main Street and ends at the entrance to the property. Once the procession has arrived at MGM Springfield at approximately 11 a.m., doors will officially open, welcoming guests in to experience the energy and excitement of New England ...

In addition to the massive investment in land and construction employment that has already occurred, MGM Springfield brings 3,000 new hospitality jobs to the region, and will tremendously strengthen the appeal of Western Mass as a visitor destination. We already offer our guests outstanding value, access and one-of-a-kind attractions, and MGM Springfield will expand those offerings and recognition in a dramatic fashion. The curiosity and interest has been building for many years, and we know that large numbers of people will be coming here to experience a new era of entertainment.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, after hearing glowing reports about MGM Springfield's casino project, including the quality of its work and workforce diversity, gave unanimous first-step approvals to the casino in advance of its opening Aug. 24. The commission, meeting at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, voted 5-0 that MGM Springfield is in "material compliance" with all state and commission regulations based on a series of inspections and reports from commission staff and submissions from MGM officials.

Competitors from the International Jugglers' Association took part Friday in the Numbers Championships, one of the many events held during the organization's 71st annual festival this week at the MassMutal Center. The event serves as a challenge to the jugglers as they try to successfully juggle the greatest numbers of balls, clubs and rings in a set amount of time.

With workshop names like 'Factory Variations with 3 Balls,' and '4-5 Club Multiplex,' you might not know what is being taught this week at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. But one peek into the center's exhibition hall will answer all your questions as plastic juggling clubs fly from person to person and balls are tossed into the air. Juggling enthusiasts from all over the world are in Springfield from July 17-22 for the 71st International Jugglers' Association Annual Festival.

The International Jugglers' Association will converge on the city for the next six days, drawing an estimated 600 jugglers and juggling enthusiasts from around the world. The International Jugglers' Association 71st convention is expected to pump more than $1 million into the region's economy. Local hotels alone have booked 1,100 hotel rooms over the six days of the event, said Mary Kay Wydra, president of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, in a press release.

When Lucas and Liam Goncalves saw an information table for the U.S. Air Force they couldn't wait to meet the people sitting behind it. "Can we go talk to them?" Lucas, 7, asked and already started running as their mother gave them the OK. The two were among some of the most enthusiastic visitors to Sunday's Great New England Air and Space Show, which an estimated 63,400 people to Westover Air Reserve Base over the two days of the event.

PeoplesBank has joined Big Y as a sponsor of the 2018 Great New England Air & Space Show, specifically by underwriting the appearance of Team Fastrax, a professional skydiving parachute demonstration team. “This was a unique opportunity for us to honor those who served or are serving, as well as area veterans and active military personnel,” said Thomas Senecal, president and CEO of PeoplesBank. “It also is an investment in economic development, as the Air & Space Show brings thousands of people here, and it has an overall $15 million economic impact on the region.”